(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having an operation part for receiving an input from a user.
(2) Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus such as a copier includes a user-friendly function to enhance the usability of the apparatus. For example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2006-218637 discloses an image forming apparatus that includes a display on an operation part (e.g., operation panel) so as to display a state of the apparatus (e.g., the occurrence of a paper jam or an execution state of a job) on the screen. Also, the image forming apparatus outputs an audio guide explaining how to make a copy or how to clear a paper jam. The above-described functions enable the user to seta copy mode as desired or to clear a paper jam while looking at a displayed image on the screen and listening to the audio guide.
Also, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-322480 discloses an image forming apparatus that has a so-called “multi-view function”. In the multi-view function, a display of an operation panel shows first and second images where the first image is only visible from the range of a first viewing angle and the second image is only visible from the range of a second viewing angle that does not overlap with the first viewing angle.
The multi-view function enables simultaneous display of different images and is convenient to the user for the following reasons. With the multi-view function, the user does not need to manually switch between images to look at each of the images. Instead, the user can look at the images by simply tilting his/her face to the right and left in front of the operation panel to adjust to each viewing angle.
In view of improving operability for a user, it is conceivable to have a structure that includes an operation part having the above-described multi-view function, and that outputs an audio guide.
However, operability for a user may not be improved if an audio guide is simply introduced to the operation part having the multi-view function.
For example, assume that a first image is an image for selecting a copy mode and is only visible from the front of an operation panel, and that a second image is an image for showing an execution state of a job and is only visible from a diagonally left direction with respect to the operation panel. Also assume that a user A is listening to an audio guide for the first image in front of the operation panel, and, while the user A is still listening to the audio guide, a user B approaches the copier and attempts to check the execution state of a job by looking at the second image from the diagonally left direction. In this case, the user B may be confused whether or not the audio guide that is being output corresponds to an image that he/she is looking at.
Also, assume that a structure is adopted in which different audio guides are provided for different images, and the audio guides are output by means of manual operations such as pressing keys. This structure, however, requires an operation for switching between the audio guides and complicates the operations of the copier. For example, consider the following case: at the time of paper jams, a first image shows how to clear a paper jam in front of the copier, a second image shows how to clear a paper jam at the left side of the copier, and a user performs operations to clear the paper jams while listening to a first audio guide for the first image and a second audio guide for the second image in sequence. In this case, the user performs operations to clear the paper jam in front of the copier while looking at the first image and listening to the first audio guide. Then, after the paper jam in front of the copier is cleared, the user moves to the left side of the copier to perform different operations to clear the paper jam on the left side.
Therefore, if the user forgets to perform a key input operation for switching to the second audio guide, the user cannot listen to the second audio guide even though he/she can look at the second image from the left direction. As a result, the user is forced to go back to the front of the copier to perform the key input operation for switching.